Good Brunello di Montalcino is expensive. You’d generally expect to pay $40 and up for a good bottle and could certainly spend 2-3 times that for top end juice. There’s a reason it commands such regard. Good Brunello is sublime, rich and complex, and focused. Made from Sangiovese Grosso, it is one of the top wines in the world.
But what if you can’t spend $40 or $50, or $100 for that matter. Can you enjoy Brunello di
Montalcino? Apparently you can for under $20. We were recently shopping at our local Trader Joe’s and I, as usual, was perusing the wine aisle. There were some prices that made me do a double take, as they had some pretty big time wines for very little money. We decided to take home a few and see if they in any way lived up to their varietals and regions, or if they were simply hollow versions of their type. A Brunello, Barolo and Amarone made their way into our shopping cart. Here are our thoughts on the first, the Brunello di Montalcino:
Wine: 2016 Poggio Vicino Brunello di Montalcino
Winery Location: Grapes from Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Italy
Tasted By: Neil & Cheri Date: January, 2022
Tasting Notes: we weren’t really sure what to expect at the price point. The color was a garnet red with orange highlights. It looks older than 2016 based on color alone. The nose is full of dried cherries with some herbs and some oak. Altogether a fairly typical aroma profile for Brunello. On the palate it is medium+ bodied, with medium tannins, nice fruit throughout and a long finish. Again, you get a pretty typical Brunello experience, just one that is toned down a bit, especially for the 2016 vintage. 2016 was a superlative year for Brunello. We’ve said it many times before, some of the best values ever come from lesser known producers in great vintages, and this is a chance to see what Brunello is about for under $20. You won’t get the power and depth of the better wines, but it is representative and overall a good wine. We enjoyed it.
Price Point – we paid $17.99 at Trader Joe’s
Would We Buy It? – yes, we would buy more. You get a slightly toned down Brunello experience. In this vintage that is still a good value at this price. It is a good wine.
So you can sample Brunello from a great vintage for under $20. Who knew? Don’t let this make you think that the higher priced wines are just about the money however. There is another leg up in Brunello that adds complexity, depth and power. That is something you should also try.
A votre santé!
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